THE FAERY YEAR 



to settle the quicker in their nesting haunts. The 

 bird with the programme has the stronger claim 

 depend upon it, he is, therefore, the higher-spirited 

 as a rule. His rival goes on and settles in some 

 other spot. 



Apple Blossom and Honeyvflow 



The honey-flow is upon some of us before we 

 have found time in these packed hours of life to put 

 our sections over the crowded bar-frames of the 

 hive. There is not a great deal to be done in a very 

 small bee-garden, but the little there is should not 

 be neglected in early May. Last year I put my 

 sections on one hive too soon, in April, without 

 examining the interior. I paid a full penalty. A 

 strange listlessness marked the bees in this hive after 

 the old queen had left one morning with a swarm. 

 Her wings had not been clipped she flew far afield 

 with her retinue, and was lost to us. The listless- 

 ness of the bees that remained we attributed to the 

 weakening of the hive by this swarm. 



For a whole month in the summer I had to leave 

 my bees. On my return I took off the sections and 

 found too late where the weakness of that hive lay. 

 The wax moth was there in overwhelming strength. 

 It had driven its vile tunnels through the beautiful 

 yellow combs, spun its webs everywhere. Bees in 

 health are lovely in cleanliness. Their system of 

 sanitation is fragrancy itself. The nectar in the 

 116 



